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White Coat Ceremony Celebrates 30 Years at Downstate

By Office of the President | Oct 1, 2024

White Coat

White Coat

The 30th Annual White Coat Ceremony at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, marked a milestone in the journey of the incoming class of 2028, celebrating the start of their medical careers with a deep focus on humanism in medicine. Faculty, family, and students gathered for this meaningful event, highlighting the white coat’s symbolic significance as an enduring representation of compassion, service, and the pursuit of medical excellence.

Hosted by the College of Medicine and supported by the Alumni Association, the ceremony focused on community and legacy. Jeffrey Putman, Ed.D., Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, thanked the alums who generously sponsored the white coats. He spoke of the long-standing collaboration between Downstate and the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, which has promoted humanism in medicine since 1993. As one of the first institutions to adopt the White Coat Ceremony in 1994, Downstate has extended its tradition of compassion to its nursing, physician assistant, and physical therapy programs.

Charles Brunicardi, M.D., FACS, Senior Vice President and Dean of the College of Medicine, welcomed the Class of 2028 and their families, reminding them that being a physician means balancing the roles of both scientist and healer. He encouraged students to embrace the intellectual and emotional challenges while maintaining the human connection at the core of patient care.

Calvin Sun, M.D., a distinguished Downstate alumnus from the Class of 2014, captivated the audience with his deeply personal story. Initially uncertain about pursuing medicine, Dr. Sun’s path changed after the sudden loss of his father. Through grief, he found his calling in medicine. Now a board-certified emergency medicine physician and renowned author, activist, and speaker, Dr. Sun gained national recognition for his experiences on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Sun shared his journey of resilience and determination with the Class of 2028. Reflecting on his time at Downstate, where he served as class president, he spoke of a pivotal moment in his third year of medical school when he realized that medicine was not just about mastering science—it was about understanding people. He urged the students to cultivate their intellectual and emotional strengths as they begin their paths toward becoming compassionate physicians.

Dr. Sun emphasized the white coat as a lifelong symbol of healing, empathy, and service, reminding students that their white coats represent more than just a profession—a promise to serve others with compassion and grace. His journey, chronicled in The Monsoon Diaries, from a hesitant student to a frontline physician, serves as a powerful example of the human connection that lies at the heart of medicine.,

White Coat Ceremony picture

I congratulated the Class of 2028, reminding them that putting on the white coat signifies their entry into one of the most noble and fulfilling professions. I also spoke about the nobility of the “calling” they were embracing, urging them to carry a deep sense of purpose and commitment that comes with the title of “doctor.”

As the ceremony drew to a close, the Class of 2028 stood together, proudly donning their white coats. With heads held high, they embraced their roles as future doctors, ready to carry the torch of humanism in medicine forward.

Downstate’s legacy of excellence and empathy glows brighter than ever, and the class of 2028 is poised to uphold the proud tradition of compassionate, dedicated care.

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